Westchase lawn care & landscaping, HOA-ready

Deed-restricted streets generally expect a uniform, well-kept front lawn, usually St. Augustine, and that's harder than it sounds under drought rules. The work is in the details: mowing at 3.5–4 inches so blades shade the soil, edging every walk and curb, hand-weeding beds and keeping clippings out of the storm drains that feed the community's ponds.

Here's what many owners don't realize: while SWFWMD's Phase III order is in effect, associations may not enforce rules that would increase water use. If part of your lawn is struggling because it can't get enough water, that's a conversation to have with the WCA, not a reason to water illegally. Converting a hard-to-water strip to a mulched bed is often the cleaner fix. Our lawn care visits run on a set schedule.

As of October 2026, Westchase follows unincorporated Hillsborough County rules under the SWFWMD Phase III order, which runs through March 31, 2027. Lawns water once a week on the day set by the address's last digit, from Monday for 0 and 1 to Friday for 8 and 9, with sprinklers limited to midnight–4 a.m. or 8 p.m.–midnight. Shrubs and flower beds (not turf) may get hand watering on any day outside 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Golf-course and pond-front lots bring fertilizer rules into play: no nitrogen or phosphorus June 1–September 30, at least half of any nitrogen slow-release the rest of the year and a 10-foot no-fertilizer zone along any water's edge. No applications during storm watches or warnings, either. We coordinate feeding with licensed partners who follow all of it. For the bigger picture, see our watering-rules guide.

Westchase homes date from the 1990s onward, and many original builder finishes are due for a refresh. Paver driveway conversions (often with a border that matches the village palette), pool-deck upgrades and front beds redesigned with Florida-friendly shrubs and fresh mulch are natural projects in The Fords, Glencliff, Radcliffe and Keswick Forest. In walkable West Park Village, courtyard patios and compact, low-water front plantings suit the setting.

Because every visible change goes through review, we design with your village's existing materials and colors in mind, so the request reads as an upgrade rather than a departure. See pavers and mulch installation for what each project includes.

Exterior changes in Westchase's deed-restricted villages, such as pavers, fences and landscape redesigns, generally need association approval before work begins. Check the Westchase Community Association's current modification process for timelines and required documents; we don't quote dates we can't control. What we can do is supply a scaled site plan, product sheets and photos so your request is complete the first time.

County rules still apply on top of the WCA's. Removing a yard tree 12 inches in diameter or larger on an existing homesite needs a Hillsborough County permit, and street trees inside a subdivision are protected at any size. On-lot pavers aren't on the County's permit-exempt list either, so confirm with Development Services. Florida law generally protects Florida-friendly landscaping from HOA bans, though your design still goes through review.